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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. perch — the fish
  3. ball — a dance
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bore — to drill
  9. deal — to handle
  10. degree — from a university
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bore — to tire
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. degree — temperature
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. suit — clothes
  23. degree — an amount
  24. ball — a round shape

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com